INTRAVENOUS KETOPROFEN FOR PAIN RELIEF AFTER TOTAL HIP OR KNEE REPLACEMENT

Background: There are few studies in which ketoprofen, a propionic aci d derivate NSAID, has been tested as an intravenous postoperative anal gesic. The aim of this double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled wo rk was to study the tolerability and efficacy of intravenous ketoprofe n in seventy-six patients undergoing hip or knee total endoprothesis s urgery using three different doses. Methods: The patients received eit her ketoprofen 50 mg, 100 mg or 150 mg, or placebo as an initial intra venous loading, followed by an infusion containing 50 mg, 100 mg or 15 0 mg or placebo, respectively, over the following eleven and a half ho urs. The consumption of fentanyl was recorded and the patients assesse d their pain intensity on a 10-cm visual analogue scale (VAS) at 0, 2, 4 and 12 hours. Possible side-effects were recorded at the same inter vals. Results: Patients receiving ketoprofen showed significantly lowe r total fentanyl consumption and significantly better pain relief at 1 2 hours was achieved by a 300 mg dose of ketoprofen than by placebo. S ide-effects were minimal, with no differences between the groups. Conc lusion: A bolus of ketoprofen following continuous infusion of ketopro fen, coupled with a PCA-system, was an effective and safe approach for the relief of postoperative pain.